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Simply Life

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sleeping with nature, a.k.a. camping! Finally, we took Mazi to see what its all about

...and she loved it! We went to Big South Fork, in Tennessee and the rest is simply the pictures of her experience.

...and some of her down at the lake by our house. She is growing so fast and I just can't stop taking pictures of her. Mr. Peek gave me a new camera for Christmas and I take at least a dozen photos of Amazing a day!

My mother-in-law had this little poodle mix she rescued a few years before I came to live in Tennessee. This dog was her company when she was home but spent most of the days on the back porch, or locked in the bathroom, sometimes even when she was home. It didn't get much attention, not even from her, rarely did I notice her stroke or brush or do anything other than offer it food and water and a treat before it spent the entire day on the screened in porch.

Being a dog lover I found it interesting that I also didn't care much for this blind and deaf old dog. His skin was scaly, red and irritated as he suffered from many many allergies, his ears, nose, mouth and even paws were all stained from the bacteria ladened moisture that existed from him constantly itching and licking them...if he was awake he was rubbing his ears on the carpet, yuck, or chewing his paws and rubbing his mouth on everything he could. It was sad and oh so irritating. All in all I was kind of disgusted to touch him myself. The few times I was upstairs and he would approach me I would pat his head and turn my face from the retched scent of his breath from his rotting teeth.

My innocent Mazi gave him full attention when in his presence she didn't care that he was rotting away.

A few days ago he died.

A death I silently watched with extreme curiosity, perhaps because I felt no attachment to him whatsoever. I hate to even admit I kinda wanted it to happen sooner. Bobbi, mother-in-law, called to Mr. Peek, "something is seriously wrong with "Hobo" come quick" Mr. Peek who is always there to save the day went to help. I grabbed Mazi, knowing that death was on its way, but feeling very curious about what was going on.

Outside Hobo was panting heavily, stark white gums, and very disoriented. His bowls were releasing themselves as he walked and there was no control over his body. Mr. Peek went to his side, holding his head and stroking his face I heard him whisper "Hobo, you've been a great companion to mama, you don't have to suffer anymore buddy, your free to go, let go." Hobo looked up into his eyes, he is blind remember, and they gazed at each other for a moment. I knew what their spirits were saying to each other. Disoriented Hobo wobbled around for a bit then moved closer to Mr. Peek, layed down and instantly took his last breaths.
No tears were shed...sadly!!

The day was sunny, the air was still. Mazi and I watched for a while, she was so reverent. Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed by, Mr. Peek looked right at me and we both said aloud, "There goes his spirit."
I walked closer to the dog to lay my hand on his head to say farewell and to feel the grace of God freeing this dog from his rotting skin. Mazi helped me pick flowers and place them on and around him for reverent respect.

Mr. Peek dug a hole and as soon as he started to bury the body small pellets of hail rained down on the earth. The sun was still shinning.

I thought about this death I witnessed for several days and am still thinking about it. I have lost many animals before but this one I was free from any attachment and it struck me from a different chord. I felt the sacredness of life and the sacredness of death much deeper that moment, perhaps because it didn't have the distraction of sadness attached. This dog was free, finally!!

I was listening to an interview with Arianna Huffington, the owner and creator of Huffington Post. She was talking about death and the importance of what Socrates once said "to practice death daily" the importance about discussing death over dinner, around coffee, etc. Investigating death can be a doorway to wisdom. She discussed how integrating death into our daily lives creates a life with more spirit and consciousness. Once death is integrated then life becomes richer. No longer is the importance about what position one has in the work field, or how many achievements we make in a lifetime, success isn't defined by money or position. It changes to living life fuller by the moment.

Now, ambition and achievements are great but they no longer define what we are or who we are. They are just a byproduct of what happened when we lived a more spiritual life day by day. She brought up how after death comes to us we will no longer look at our life by our achievements, because we are not our achievements and we are not our bodies. Most likely we will be looking forward only. Our culture has made such an importance of things that are taking us away from being present. Technology doesn't help that either. As we are addicted to filling every spacial gap with looking and fidgeting with our digital devices. I too, suffer here. The information is so incredible. This creates much more unnecessary suffering to our already suffering world. Arianna describes life as a rental care and death is like dropping your rental car and flying. The interest of where flying will take us is far more interesting than reviewing what our rental car did. The importance of life, is to live our conscious moments to creating a much better world that we will leave behind. Only being aware and conscious of our soul and spiritual selves will help us see the clarity of what life's purpose really is. No matter your Deity, no matter your religious practices. Its all the same. Being a conscious being is the purpose of life. Each practice or event of life gives us all more opportunity to see or feel the depth of this truth.

It is far more important to see each day as it could be the last, we have all heard that before, "live life to the fullest." I use to think that meant have more adventure, explore forbidden cities, eat exotic foods, move quickly to get it all in and don't stop, just don't stop. I am beginning to realize that it simply means feel more, no matter where I am and what I'm doing be more present and involved now. Death is the only thing that is certain in life and it will come to us all. Will I personally think about what career I had, what event I missed out on what country I didn't get to visit?
..NO! Even though I feel like these fleeting things are important now, they are not...at all! I am where I am because I am growing here. Becoming more conscious everyday. Mostly because of Amazing Grace! She keeps me soooo present in so many ways!

If I, and others, choose to make each moment more in tune with each other, more inline with our souls, more conscious. If we all as a species are more aware of ourselves and our intuition, then we will leave a legacy of awareness which will live on much more than any other achievement our species can leave. Once we are dead, we will not look back, not once, I believe!

Death should be a daily conscious thought, because like Socrates said, it can take us at any moment.

Amazing Grace Peek

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Who We Are

This is just our simple life spoken in its most authentic form...in the RAW. WE have found inspiration through nature, food, music, spirituality and of course, our LOVE. I believe that we learn so much from others in this journey of life and we feel we too can share our experiences on this planet, as co-creators.